Loyalty test

⏰ Tick Tock

25 days to the final day of the 2025 Utah Legislature. (3/7/2025)
184 days to the 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025)
268 days until Election Day (11/4/2025)
632 days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026)

New podcast episode

In this episode of Special Session:

• Senate Republicans reverse course on the controversial union busting bill.
• Legislature pushes to double funding for Utah's private school voucher program.
• A Democratic senator proposes higher taxes for the wealthy.
• Two bills aim to tilt the judicial system in favor of lawmakers.
• Kathy Biele from the Utah League of Women Voters joins to discuss election-related legislation.

You can subscribe to "Special Session with Bryan Schott" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

👀 Here's what you need to know for Monday morning:

U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test

"Candidates for top national security positions in the Trump administration have faced questions that appear designed to determine whether they have embraced the president’s false claims about the outcome of the 2020 election and its aftermath, according to people familiar with cases of such screening."

"These people said that two individuals, both former officials who were being considered for positions within the intelligence community, were asked to give 'yes' or 'no' responses to the questions: Was Jan. 6 'an inside job?' And was the 2020 presidential election 'stolen?'" [Washington Post]

• Trump White House says it can talk to Justice Dept. on criminal cases. [Washington Post]
• DOJ agrees to give two days' notice if it releases names of FBI employees who worked on January 6 cases. [CNN]

Vance says "judges aren't allowed to control" Trump's "legitimate power"

"Vice President JD Vance declared on Sunday that 'judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,' delivering a warning shot to the federal judiciary in the face of court rulings that have, for now, stymied aspects of President Trump’s agenda."

"The statement, issued on social media, came as federal judges have temporarily barred a slew of Trump administration actions from taking effect. They include ending birthright citizenship; giving associates of Elon Musk’s government-slashing effort access to a sensitive Treasury Department system; transferring transgender female inmates to male prisons; and placing thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development employees on leave." [New York Times]

• Judge orders sweeping restriction on DOGE access to sensitive Treasury payment systems. [Politico]
• Homeland Security Secretary Noem says DOGE team has access to agency data. [CNN]

Trump administration preparing to restart immigrant family detention

"The Trump administration is moving forward with restarting the detention of migrant families, including those with young children, which could mean an increase in arrests of children and teens, according to three sources familiar with the planning."

"The sources said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to publish in the coming days a 'Request for Proposal' that will ask private prison companies to bid for contracts to restart detention facilities intended specifically for families." [NBC News]

• San Francisco leads coalition in new lawsuit against Trump's sanctuary jurisdiction crackdown. [CNN]

Utah Headlines

"Kids are not coming": Utah schools see attendance dip after Trump admin change allows ICE on campuses. [Tribune]

Utah lawmakers race against the clock to help franchisees facing Sunday mandate deadline. [Deseret News]

Utahns "surprised" by large ground ambulance bills call for more consumer protections. [Fox 13]

"Year of uncertainty": Utah farmers could feel the pinch from Trump's tariffs, immigration policies. [Tribune]

Briefly...

Trump describes Gaza as a "big real estate site" as he doubles down on plans to redevelop the enclave. [CNN]

Inside the House GOP clash over tax cuts. [Politico]

Farmers on the hook for millions after Trump freezes USDA funds. [Washington Post]